Locking and unlocking device for the folding of baby carriages

Abstract: In the folding action, the handlebar (4) of the baby carriage slides down onto the front feet (14), and the device is operated from the handlebar by means of cables (7,8) and consists of a hook-shaped catch (12) at each side. A characteristic aspect of the design is that the device control is fitted underneath the middle section (3) of the handlebar (4) and,by means of cables (7,8), acts on the tailpiece (17) of an L-shaped hook (15) hinged (16) along its apex in the branch (13) of the handlebar (4) and at the far hooked end of the catch hooks around a pin (18) fixed to the corresponding foot (14), the tailpiece (17) of this hook (15) being linked to a drag spring (19) which stretches to apply the hooked end of the catch against said pin (18).

Description: This invention refers to a locking and unlocking device for the folding of baby carriages. This device applies mainly to baby carriages which are folded by sliding the handlebar down onto the front feet, and which include between the handlebar and the feet two hook-shaped catches with a lateral unlocking control as can be seen in the folding frame for baby carriages object of the patent P9002663 of the applicant firm. The objective of this invention is to simplify the unlocking operation,which will be carried out from the handlebar by means of cables. A characteristic of the design is the positioning of the device control under the middle handlebar section without it being required to remove the central section, this control being concealed inside a cowling fitted on to said handlebar section, the respective parts of the disc-shaped control and a stopping dog which locks same, projecting from both the lateral and top openings of said cowling, these projecting parts enabling the device to be manually operated. Another characteristic is that the control acts, via a cable, on the lateral hook-shaped catches formed of the two L-shaped hooks hinged at the apex in the handlebar branch, these hooks form at one end a tailpiece through which is connected the corresponding cable and which also joins them to a drag spring which stretches to apply the hooked end of the catches around a pin fixed to the corresponding front foot. The control consists of a disc to which the cable ends are attached at diametrically opposed points, this disc being clamped along its rim by a disc-shaped stopping dog elastically impelled to its active position. This stopping dog must be unlocked in order to enable the rotation of the disc which is to act on the catches to release them from the feet pins. The disc-shaped stopping dog is fixed to a spindle which crosses through the handlebar and at the free end finishes in a push-button which projects from the cowling, a spring being strung on the spindle and positioned between the handlebar and the push-button. The underside of the disc rim is fitted with a housing for the connecting disc-shaped stopping dog, the rim extending into a wing projecting through the cowling via an oblong slot enabling the disc to be manually operated. Said assembly of the catch hook, on being able the catch to rotate freely on the shaft hingedly it under the handlebar branch makes that at times it becomes out of alignment as relative to an interlocked pin of the corresponding front feet, a thing that may cause failures in the engagement operation of the catch in said pin and also raising a wrong locking of the device which even may cause the breakage of some component or member of the catch unit, including that of the cable when its operation is forced. To avoid these problems and always achieve a perfect hook engagement on the corresponding pin, it is provided to stabilise the hook at a correctly aligned position with the pin so that the hook advance always effectively drives the pin. All that is achieved by fitting inside the cowling a stop against which the hook is bearing on by its tailpiece, whereby the hook remains always stabilised at its correct position. These and other characteristics will be more easily understood from the detailed description which follows, further explanation being provided by the accompanying page of drawings showing a practical example of use, intended merely as a non-restrictive illustration of the scope of this invention. In these drawings: Figure 1 illustrates an underside and partially sectioned view of the locking device seen from the handlebar to one of the front feet. Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the hook-shaped catch positioning between the handlebar branch and the corresponding front foot, Figure 3 shows a front elevation of the locking and unlocking device control. Figure 4 shows a side elevation of the stop arrangement, wherein the catch hook is being leaning to, and Figure 5 shows said catch and stop as seen in a plan view, according to a longitudinal section to the line IV-IV of figure 4. As in the drawings the device includes a control consisting of a disc 1 whose rotation is fixed by a shaft 2 underneath the middle section of the U-shaped tubular handlebar 4 of the baby carriage, the two ends of the cables 7 and 8 protected by two sheaths 9 and 10 being attached to said disc at diametrically opposed points 5 and 6, these cables passing through the interior of the handlebar to join up with the hook-shaped catches 12 in each branch 13 of the handlebar which slides over the top end part of the front feet 14, these branches sliding down onto said feet when folding the baby carriage. The catch 12 includes an L-shaped hook 15 hinged at the apex by means of shaft 16 under branch 13 of the handlebar, whose hook joins up at its tailpiece 17 with the corresponding cable. The end of hook 15 catches round a pin 18 fixed to the corresponding front foot 14, whose position is maintained by the drag action of a spring 19 which joins the tailpiece 17 to an internal protruding pin 20 of a cowling 21 which covers the upper area of the front feet and which along its underside is open froming lugs 22 where the rear feet 23 of the baby carriage are hinged (figure 2). The active position of disc-shaped control 1 is maintained by a safety catch consisting of a circular stopping dog 24 fixed to a spindle 25 which crosses through the middle handlebar section 3 and at its free end is topped by a push-button 26 which projects through an orifice 27 on the upper side of a cowling 28 covering said middle handlebar section 3, this cowling presenting a lateral oblong slot 29 through which protrudes a wing 30 extending radially from the disc-shaped control 1 and which rotates same to unlock the catches 12 by pressing the safety catch which moves the circular stopping dog 24 back to a housing 31 fitted on the underside of the disc rim 1. On the spindle 25 is strung a spring 32 positioned between the push-button 26 and the middle handlebar section 3, which stretches to maintain the stopping dog 24 against the disc 1. The cowling 21 is inwardly having a stop 33 whereto the catch hook is leaning to with its tailpiece 17, whereby said hook remains stabilised at its correct position and aligned with the pin 18 of the foot 14. In this way, in the advance of the hook 15 always will be found the pin 18 in a correct arrangement to be hooked thereinto. The stop 33 has been provided with a small cap 34 to close a side opening inside the cowling 21, said small cap allowing with its removal, an access to the region of the catch 12 to link the cable to the hook and go to its replacement if required.

Claims: Device for the locking and unlocking of the folding action of baby carriages, in whose folding the handlebar (4) of the baby carriages slides down onto the front feet (14) and whose device is operated from the handlebar by means of cables (7,8) and consists of a hook-shaped catch (12) at each side, the design being characteristic because the device control is fitted underneath the middle section (3) of the handlebar (4) and, by means of cables (7,8),acts on the tailpiece (17) of an L-shaped hook (15) hinged (16) along the apex in the branch (13) of the handlebar (4) and at the far end of the hook (15) catches around a pin (18) fixed to the corresponding foot (14), the tailpiece (17) of said hook (15) being connected to a drag spring (19) which stretches to apply the far end of the hook against said pin (18). Device for the locking and unlocking of the folding action of baby carriages, according to claim 1, in which the device control consists of a disc (1) to which the cable ends (7 and 8) are attached at diametrically opposed points (5 and 6), this disc being clamped along its rim by a disc-shaped stopping dog (24) elastically impelled towards its active position, the disc (1) and stopping dog (24) both having parts which project (30 and 26) through side (29) and top (27) openings, respectively, in a cowling (28) mounted on the central section (3) of the handlebar (4), these parts enabling the disc (1) and stopping dog (24) to be manually operated, it being previously required to unlock the stopping dog (24) in order to be allowed the disc (1) to rotate. Device for the locking and unlocking of the folding action of baby carriages, according to claim 2, in which the stopping dog (24) which locks the disc consists of an active disc-shaped head fixed to a spindle (25) which crosses through the handlebar (4) and which at its free end is topped by a push-button (26) which projects from the cowling (28),being strung on the spindle (25) a spring (32) positioned between the handlebar (4) and the push-button (26). Device for the locking and unlocking of the folding action of baby carriages, according to claim 2 and 3, in which the underside of the rim of disc (1) has a housing (31) for the connecting disc-shaped head (24) of the stopping dog, and whose rim extends into a wing (30) which projects from the cowling (28) through an oblong slot (29) in same in order to manually operate the disc (1). Device for the locking and unlocking of the folding action of baby carriages, according to claim 1, in which the area of the handlebar (4) and the front foot (14) containing the hook-shaped (15) catch (12) is covered with a cowling(28) which is fitted in its interior with a protruding pin (20) which is fixed at the other end to the spring (19) linking up with the hook (15). Device for the locking and unlocking of the folding action of baby carriages, according to claim 5 in which the cowling 21 is inwardly having a stop (33) whereto the catch hook (12) is leaning to with its tailpiece (17) and having the catch stabilised at its correct position aligned with the pin (18) of the foot (14) whereto the pin is to be taken into.

Inventors: JANE CABAGNERO RAMON C O JANE, JANE CABAGNERO, RAMON, C/O JANE, S.A.
Applicants: JANE SA, JANE S.A.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B62B9
IPC codes: B62B9